Coturnix - growing so fast! Move out of brooder?

[harmohen]

Hello!

I have ten 11-day old Coturnix, some of which I am now suspecting are Jumbos given some size differences between the chicks. The book I have been using as my guide (Urban Quail-Keeping) recommends keeping them in their brooder box until 6 weeks. But these dudes are growing so fast!! There is barely enough space between their Quail Cuddle Puddle, feeder and waterer. Also the waterer is a pain and splashes out into their wood chips, but I can't think of a better set up while they are in the brooder.

Would it be appropriate to move them into their indoor hutch (a Wynola Ranch quail cage) earlier if I continue to use a warming lamp?

Pic of the cuddle puddle is recent, and second pic is of their current set up (but was taken a week ago).

 

[catesquire]

As long as you can keep them as warm in the roomier cage as you do in the brooder (and if it's a wire floor, make sure their feet are big enough they wouldn't fall through), I don't see why not. Big babies will not mind bigger space

 

[Nabiki]

@catesquire said pretty much what I'd say.

 

[pac]

(Urban Quail-Keeping) recommends keeping them in their brooder box until 6 weeks.

That seems like a long time compared to what I've been seeing. More like a chicken chick time.
I thought it was three or four weeks for quail. Or whenever they are fully feathered, starting around three weeks.

 

[CliftonQuail]

I keep my cages in the garage, so don't have to worry too much about extreme cold and can run a heater if it gets too bad. I typically move my coturnix from the brooder to the grow out cages when they're between 3 and 4 weeks old. They're pretty much fully feathered by then and don't need supplemental heat, particularly in the late spring and summer which is when I hatch the most birds.

 

[harmohen]

Yes I agree, really long compared to other advice. I do think this book is assuming you'd be moving them outside. But a major draw to quail over chickens imo was that we could keep them inside during colder months

 

[harmohen]

This was definitely the right choice! They seem really happy. We'll be culling all but 1 roo once we can sex everyone, so I think this will work perfectly for 5-6 adult birds.

 

[Quailwhatdoyaknow]

This was definitely the right choice! They seem really happy. We'll be culling all but 1 roo once we can sex everyone, so I think this will work perfectly for 5-6 adult birds.

I’m dang near in your shoes. Mine are 19 days old and all but one are pretty much feathered out. By this time next week they will probably be ready to go out to their adult home. I only have 4 though. It has blown my mind how fast they grow. And how fast they change in 24hrs. It seems like everyday there’s a new pattern added to their feathers. The heads seem to be the last part to lose fuzz. Mine have Mohawks right now lol.

 

[pac]

Hey I have a question.
This is for the folks that have two part hutches, an enclosed area and a mesh area.

Do they go from the brooder to the enclosed area, or to the mesh area? And which side do you put their food and water?

Everything I've read seems to indicate that chicks are pretty dumb.
I wouldn't want to move them to the enclosed side for warmth, and not have them know enough to go outside for their food. Or put them in the outside area and not have them find their way out of the wind.

Maybe at 3-4 weeks they are smarter?

 

[Quailwhatdoyaknow]

Hey I have a question.
This is for the folks that have two part hutches, an enclosed area and a mesh area.

Do they go from the brooder to the enclosed area, or to the mesh area? And which side do you put their food and water?

Everything I've read seems to indicate that chicks are pretty dumb.
I wouldn't want to move them to the enclosed side for warmth, and not have them know enough to go outside for their food. Or put them in the outside area and not have them find their way out of the wind.

Maybe at 3-4 weeks they are smarter?

I think at 3-4 weeks they are smart enough to move them so something like that. Mine are 3 weeks old and I plan on moving them outside to their hutch at the end of this week. They are almost completely feathered and that’s what I’m waiting on. I think with how curios they are they will be able to find where the food and water are and pick a good place to sleep.